The Deadly (Part 3 of the Syndicate Series)

Chapter 15- Hopefully This Time

Allegra:

Aldrich was going to get in my way. I knew it, I had a gut feeling that something was going to go wrong, but I didn't know why. I didn't need to be worried about him but for some reason, I was. He was a grown man, though, and he could take care of himself. So why was I thinking about his well being?

I dropped my towel from the shower and pulled on my underwear, perching on the edge of my bed so that I could strap on my thigh holsters. I paused, glancing at the dress laid out on the bed next to me. The one that Nyoka had pulled from my closet was pretty much the only one that hadn't been completely destroyed by a mission, but it was tighter around my legs than I was used to. I wouldn't be able to hide anything on my legs, and I tried not to get too frustrated.

Everything seemed to be putting me on edge, there was no reason to get testy over things I couldn't control, but my brain was being irrational. It was best to separate myself from the situation for a moment, so I ripped off the holster, tied up my robe, and made my way towards Phoenix's room.

It had been a couple of days since Nova came down with a stomach bug, and while she was doing better, it had been passed to Phoenix. It made sense, since Phoenix had been around Nova so much over the past couple of days, but it was keeping her down worse than it had for the little girl.

I knocked quietly, but hearing other voices made me slowly open it. Nyoka and Daitan were standing at the edge of Phoenix's bed, who was laying under a pile of blankets. It worried me to see her like this, she was always quiet and unassuming, but there was an underlying attentiveness as she listened to everything around her. At this point she just seemed listless. I didn't like it at all. Maybe that's what was putting me on edge.

Nyoka was holding a thermometer in her hand with a frown on her face, "Your temperature is still going up. If it gets much higher, I'm going to start worrying."

Phoenix hummed weakly, "I'll keep checking it over the next few hours."

I found myself sitting at the foot of her bed, "I don't like the thought of running a mission while you're sick in here, alone."

"No, don't even think about that." She tried her best to argue back, "This chance isn't going to come around again. Go. Nyoka and Daitan can keep me updated."

"I just can't believe you're still sick," Daitan worried, looking over her girlfriend's shoulder at the listed temperature. "Nova's fever broke after about 38 hours, yours has been going for a couple days now."

"I'll be fine, you three should get out of here before you catch it, too," Phoenix rasped.

"I'm your doctor right now, and let's be honest," Nyoka laughed. "Your immune system has always been a little shit. You get strep almost every year."

Daitan slapped her girlfriend lightly on the shoulder while Phoenix laid back miserably with her eyes closed, "Thanks for that, Nyoka. You've been around her as well, how are you not sick?"

"I'm half Carribean, the virus knows better," She grinned proudly and tossed her hair back over her shoulder.

Phoenix just hummed a response and closed her eyes. Her pale skin almost had a sallow tint to it, and since she hadn't been able to hold down food very well lately, she looked a pound or two thinner. Especially with her red hair splayed out in a curly mess behind her against her pillow, she looked more colorless than ever. She just seemed.... Weak and vulnerable, and I didn't like it one bit.

I glanced up at Nyoka who was still holding the thermometer with a frown, and she caught my look of question. She just raised her eyebrows and shook her head, telling me that Phoenix was far from getting better.